GAINSWave® Treatment in Monroe, NC

Monroe, a player in the economic development game, hits a stride with its newly minted Certified Smart Site, setting the stage for industrial growth. This certification, a badge of preparation, was achieved via a collaboration of local and state entities including the City of Monroe, and the North Carolina Department of Commerce's Certified Sites Program, complemented by ElectriCities of North Carolina's support. The Monroe Smart Site is now verified as being developed ready, a boon for attracting businesses in tech, advanced manufacturing, and logistics, according to a recent release from the City of Monroe. This status ensures the site ticks all the boxes for infrastructure, transportation links, and construction swiftness.

Location is prime, and the Monroe Opportunity Zone doesn't skimp on this aspect. It sits near US Highway 74, and Interstate 485 provides swift access to the greater Charlotte area, the airport, and regional rail. Moreover, utilities are no concern; this site boasts full service from water and sewer to natural gas, and robust electric infrastructure. This revelation came after a series of meetings in October, where Monroe officials including Mayor Robert Burns and City Manager Mark Watson, showcased the site to visiting reps Will Best and Casey Verburg, from the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and ElectriCities, respectively.

“By investing in infrastructure and certification, we are preparing Monroe for the industries of tomorrow. This site strengthens our competitiveness and opens new doors for high quality jobs,” Mayor Robert Burns, remarked on the significance of this development, according to the City of Monroe announcement. This sentiment echoes through the layers of Monroe's administration, with City Manager Mark Watson highlighting how the site is a tangible manifestation of the city's forward-thinking and willingness to welcome long-term investments.

Not just a local triumph, this designation is a strategic win for the broader economic pursuits across the region. Will Best, weighed in on the collaboration, stating, "NC Certified Sites is excited to have the opportunity to work with the City of Monroe and organizations like ElectriCities and their Smart Sites program.” Additionally, from the ElectriCities corner, Casey Verburg sees this as a stepping stone, positing that such certified sites are key in drawing in companies with their readiness and pre-accomplished due diligence, as stated in the release from the City of Monroe.

MONROE, N.C. (WBTV) - After an eventful year in office, a Union County mayor announced on Monday that he would not be seeking a second term.

Monroe Mayor Robert Burns says he’s done at the end of his term in 2026, but says he’s going to continue to serve his city and state in a different direction.

“This is not a decision that I made lightly. My wife and I have genuinely prayed about this for a long period of time,” Mayor Burns said.

While able to boast growth under his leadership —such as being a top 10 city in the state for small business owners, downtown infrastructure revamp, and more—the mayor also faced challenges related to his online persona.

“They didn’t write a book on how to be the best mayor. They didn’t write a book on how to get involved in politics,” Burns said. “No one is perfect, no one, to act like we’re perfect, then that’s ridiculous.”

Just this summer, Burns faced a no-confidence vote from the council, and in a separate incident, calls from the local NAACP to have him removed from office for his handling of a dispute online with a private citizen.

“It comes with the territory,” Burns said. “What they’re doing at the same time is they’re helping to promote, I believe, the good things that are happening in this city.”

At the first council meeting since the mayor’s announcement, the only item on the agenda was public comment—one speaker, who isn’t the biggest fan of Burns, addressed the mayor’s move on from his position.

“New leadership is coming to Monroe, and I’m excited for the change”, said Jen Sanders, a Union County resident.

While the mayor is not announcing his next move, he says, “Stay tuned, it’s going to be big.”

MONROE, N.C. (Oct. 23, 2025) – A new Chick-fil-A^® restaurant will begin serving the Monroe community at its newest location on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, at 6:30 a.m., creating approximately 125 jobs. Chick-fil-A, Inc. selected David Rowland as the local Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A Hilltop, marking his second restaurant in the community. To celebrate the restaurant opening, Rowland and team are calling on the community to show their spots on opening day! Whether it’s a full cow suit or a simple cow-spotted accessory, Guests of all ages are invited to join the fun. Anyone who visits the restaurant on opening day dressed in cow attire can redeem one free entrée* or kid’s meal inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru. Located at 1620 Campus Park Drive, Chick-fil-A Hilltop will serve Guests Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., offering dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, third-party delivery, catering and Mobile Thru. Locally Owned and Operated “Chick-fil-A has been part of my life for more than 40 years,” said Rowland. “From starting as a Team Member to becoming a local Owner-Operator, I’ve seen firsthand the opportunities this company creates. Opening a second restaurant is not only exciting for me; it is also a way to expand my connection to the community I’ve proudly called home for over four decades.” Rowland began his Chick-fil-A journey in 1979 as a high school Team Member in Charlotte and continued working there while attending the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Inspired by his first Operator, he pursued ownership and opened his first restaurant in Wilson, N.C., in 1986. Rowland and his wife, Terri—whom he met through a mutual friend during his early restaurant years—moved to Monroe in 1990 to operate the Monroe Crossing Mall location. In 1999, he opened Chick-fil-A Monroe, which he will continue to operate alongside his new restaurant. Caring for the Monroe Community Rowland is committed to giving back to the Monroe community by:

To learn more about careers at Chick-fil-A Hilltop, click here. For the latest news and updates on Chick-fil-A Hilltop, visit the restaurant’s Facebook page and follow along on Instagram. Delicious Food; Outstanding Customer Service Chick-fil-A is known for creating a remarkable restaurant experience, starting with friendly service, a warm welcome and quality food, including the original Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich. Restaurants strive to provide a great-tasting meal made with real, whole chicken breast and fresh produce, all grown and sourced with care and prepared throughout the day. For more on Chick-fil-A's high-quality menu options, click here. For more information about the Brand’s food, people and customers across the country, visit chick-fil-a.com. Opening Day Offer Details *Guests who dress in cow attire on opening day can redeem the offer of one free entrée inside the restaurant or in the drive-thru. Breakfast offer options are a Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Biscuit, Egg White Grill or 4-ct Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Minis^®. Lunch/dinner offer options are Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich, Spicy Chicken Sandwich, 8-ct Chick-fil-A^® Nuggets, 8-ct Grilled Nuggets or 5-ct Nugget Kid’s Meal. The offer is limited to one per person in cow attire, per day, while supplies last. No purchase is necessary. See the restaurant for more details. To learn more about the Chick-fil-A Cows, click here. About Chick-fil-A, Inc. Chick-fil-A, Inc. is the third largest quick-service restaurant company in the United States, known for its freshly-prepared food, signature hospitality and unique franchise model. More than 200,000 Team Members are employed by local Owner-Operators in more than 3,000 restaurants across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Chick-fil-A opened its first restaurant in the UK in early 2025 with the goal of launching five locations across the UK within the next two years. The first Singapore restaurant is set to open in late 2025, marking the brand's entry into Asia. Chick-fil-A local Owner-Operators live and work in the communities their restaurants serve, each supporting local efforts to address hunger, education, and making a positive impact. The family-owned and privately held company was founded in 1967 by S. Truett Cathy. More information on Chick-fil-A is available at www.chick-fil-a.com and @ChickfilANews.

MONROE, N.C. — Union County Public Schools are expected to discuss a local supplement increase for teachers at a meeting next week.

What You Need To Know

The local supplement is an amount the county provides in addition to the state salary to make teacher pay more competitive.

The upcoming meeting comes after the Union Board of County Commissioners released a letter calling on the school board to release these funds for teachers.

The school system requested the more than $14.6 million over the current budget, which would provide a higher teacher supplement raise.

Ultimately, board of commissioners approved $8.8 million extra in funding for UCPS.

“We understood that UCPS could not give a $2,000 supplement with the proposed funding amount. Based on numerous discussions and sufficient funding provided, we anticipated that teachers would receive a $1,000 supplement increase,” the letter states.

Board of commissioners Chair Melissa Merrell said in early October, she learned the supplement increase had not been provided and said the county was unfairly blamed for it.

“We funded it, we approved it. We sent them the money into law and until this, we did not know. We had not been informed that the schools and the superintendent and the Board of Education, they made a decision to hold on to it,” Merrell said.

According to UCPS, the delay for the local supplement increase came from uncertainty with the state budget.

UCPS Board of Education Chairman the Rev. Jimmy H. Bention Sr. said the school board never said the commissioners didn’t fund them.

“They did fund us, but the funding level that they funded us at, we were not able to then provide that $2,000, so we're waiting for our state funds to come in and at that point, our finance team would be able to determine what amount of a supplement they can receive,” Bention said. “The issue is that people locked in on amounts, whether $2,000 or $1,000, when in fact, we have to look at the total budget package and see what we can give.”

Merrell said she’s excited there will be discussions next week regarding the local supplement increase for teachers, but she questions the motives behind it.

“I expect them to issue a $1,000 settlement increase to all classroom teachers immediately, and they need to clarify that they were the ones holding the money,” Merrell said.

Regarding the letter, Bention said he would’ve preferred a phone call to clarify the situation instead of the letter.

“I want people know that this is not an issue, but between board, the board, it was a miscommunication that blew up,” Bention said.

Both agree giving teachers more incentives to remain in the classroom is a must.

“It’s also very important to me that to continue increasing the teacher supplement so that if you teach in Union County Public Schools, that the county supplement is not falling behind,” Merrell said.

Bention said the Board of Education Finance Committee will issue a recommendation for the supplement increase amount, and the full board will vote on it in November.

“I just want to say to our teachers out there, that team UCPS, as we have always been, stands 100% behind you because you are an essential part of what makes team UCPS us,” Bention said.

The Board of Education Finance Committee will meet Oct. 21 at 8 a.m.

The North Carolina General Assembly has not passed a state budget yet, which means the proposed raises for teachers have not taken effect.